Chinese Superman

The conflict was on the verge of escalating.

After all, once someone takes the lead, others will follow suit.

At that very moment—

"call out"

A sword light, sharp and unparalleled yet ethereal and agile, shot down from the top of Tianzhu Peak like a celestial being descending from the heavens!

The sword light was incredibly precise, grazing the scalps of those who were shouting the loudest!

"Crackling sound"

With a few soft sounds, the group felt a cool sensation on their heads as their black hair fell down. When they reached up to touch it, they found that the hair on the top of their heads had been cut off at the root, leaving them completely bald!

A cold wind blows, chilling you to the bone!

"ah--"

The men were so frightened that their legs went weak and they collapsed to the ground, their crotches instantly soaked with sweat, unable to utter another arrogant word.

Immediately afterwards, a clear, cool female voice came from the mountaintop, reaching everyone's ears clearly:

"The Martial Ancestor and the Dao Ancestor created the laws and discussed the Dao, which brought about a harmonious interaction between heaven and earth. This is a blessing for Wudang and an opportunity for all living beings. You should calmly perceive the changes in the surrounding spiritual energy, listen to the Dao sounds, and seize this once-in-a-millennium opportunity."

"Anyone who dares to cause trouble again, storm the temple gates, or utter provocative insults will not be punished as simply by having their head shaved in place of their head; I will execute them as a warning to others!"

As soon as he finished speaking, a lithe dragon-like figure leaped down from the mountaintop and landed gracefully.

The clouds dispersed, revealing Gu Zhi Qiu's aloof and dashing figure.

Taking advantage of the opportunity of the two patriarchs' discussion on the Dao, she had a sudden enlightenment and cultivated the Cloud Dragon Soaring Through the Sky Technique to a high level.

"Who else wants to cause trouble?"

Gu Zhi Qiu stood atop the stone steps, swords hovering on either side, her gaze sharp as lightning, sweeping over the silent crowd. Her aura of the Innate Realm emanated from her, making her appear heroic and dignified, like a female general.

She alone stunned the entire audience.

Gu Zhi Qiu was too lazy to waste words and preach, so he decided to just compare who had the harder fists.

"It's the Golden Jade Sword Wielder!"

"The most famous heir among the official weapon bearers."

"I heard she's ruthless and has killed many notorious artifact hunters."

"Times have changed. This ruthless character has truly killed people!"

Someone recognized her and gasped, no longer daring to make any further moves.

Seeing this, the Taoist priest beside him breathed a sigh of relief and stepped forward to bow to Gu Zhi Qiu: "Thank you, female lay Buddhist. If it weren't for your help, who knows what kind of trouble would have occurred today."

"No need to thank me, it was nothing."

Gu Zhi Qiu responded coldly, his sword hovering in a menacing manner, while he looked up at the strange phenomena atop Tianzhu Peak.

Before the Golden Palace, the sea of ​​clouds gradually calmed down, and the strange phenomena gradually dissipated.

Xia Xinghan and Zhang Zhenren sat facing each other.

Although their eyes were tired, they were also shining brightly, because the creation of the method was complete!

Master Zhang stood up first, straightened his slightly wrinkled Taoist robe, faced Xia Xinghan, and bowed solemnly.

"May the Heavenly Venerable grant boundless blessings."

Master Zhang proclaimed his Daoist title and said, "Thanks to your wisdom today, fellow Daoist, I have been enlightened, as if struck by a sudden awakening, as if the clouds have been cleared and the sun has been shrouded in darkness. Not only have you resolved my doubts, but you have also helped all cultivators in the world to continue on the path to enlightenment after the innate stage!"

"This method is complete, its merits are immeasurable. Fellow Daoist's contribution deserves the title of half a Dao Ancestor!"

Xia Xinghan bowed in return, saying, "You flatter me, Master."

"The creation of this method is not my achievement alone. Without the profound Taoist knowledge, the illusory alchemy realm, and the foundational practice of this method, my ideas would be nothing more than castles in the air. This is the result of our combined efforts and discussions on the method; how dare I claim all the credit?"

Master Zhang stroked his beard and smiled: "Fellow Daoist, you are too modest. Your wisdom and talent are unparalleled in my life; you are truly the best in this world."

"If you hadn't pointed out the key to refining the Golden Elixir through the mutual generation of the Five Elements, I might still be groping in the dark, wasting my life."

Xia Xinghan, feeling elated, immediately said, "You are truly a master of Taoism, possessing vast knowledge..."

The two exchanged pleasantries.

Of course, for beings at their level, worldly formalities are meaningless; everything they say comes from their heartfelt recognition.

After exchanging compliments, Master Zhang's smile faded slightly, and he said solemnly, "There was the False Core before, the New Realm in the middle, and the Golden Core after. I would like to ask Ancestor Wu to name this new realm that connects the past and the future."

Xia Xinghan answered without hesitation: "The core of this realm lies in unifying the five internal organs and circulating the five elements. By using the power of mutual generation among the five elements, one can temper oneself and forge the foundation for the Golden Core. Therefore, it shall be called the Five Elements Realm."

"After the Pseudo-Core Realm comes the Five Elements Realm. Only when the Five Elements are perfected can one attempt to break through to the Golden Core Realm!"

"Five Elements Realm... Good!"

Master Zhang nodded in approval: "Great skill appears effortless, great sound is inaudible. This name is wonderful, perfectly fitting!"

With the name decided, Master Zhang looked at Xia Xinghan and asked expectantly, "After the Golden Core Realm... do you have any ideas, fellow Daoist?"

Upon hearing this, Xia Xinghan shook his head and replied, "The Five Elements Realm and the Golden Core Realm are already two lofty realms, requiring a long period of time and endless effort to cultivate. As for the path ahead... I have no clue for now, and there's no need to rush."

As he spoke, he gazed at the sea of ​​clouds, as if he could see all the people of China, his tone filled with confidence:

"Moreover, the world is vast and full of talented people. Today we continue on the path of cultivation, and in the future there may be others who are exceptionally gifted and have extraordinary opportunities, who can open up new horizons beyond the Golden Core stage and continue the legacy."

"The Great Way is infinite and cannot be fully comprehended by one person or at one time."

Upon hearing this, Master Zhang seemed to understand, and nodded in deep agreement: "Fellow Daoist's magnanimity is truly admirable."

"Indeed, the journey is long and arduous, and it must be forged by generations of seekers. Our contribution lies in doing our best in the present and laying the foundation."

He stopped talking about the distant future, smiled slightly, and gestured for Xia Xinghan to proceed.

"Fellow Daoist, please follow me."

As he spoke, he led Xia Xinghan around the solemn golden hall and to a secluded platform behind the hall, sheltered from the wind and facing the sun, shrouded in mist.

On the edge of the platform, right next to a sheer cliff, a miraculously ancient pine tree grows.

The ancient pine tree is not tall, but its trunk is thick and requires several people to encircle it.

The bark is cracked like dragon scales, ancient and weathered, and the branches are twisted like dragons, with a strange and rugged appearance.

Surprisingly, half of its trunk was charred black, and its branches were withered, as if it had been burned by heavenly fire and struck by lightning, and was filled with a deathly aura.

The other half was teeming with life, covered with tender green pine needles, and surrounded by a visible pale blue spiritual mist, making it incredibly mystical.

A gust of wind blew by, and the pine needles collided, making a tinkling sound like jade striking each other, clear and melodious.

"This is a thousand-year-old pine tree from Wudang Mountain."

Looking at the ancient pine tree, Master Zhang sighed with emotion: "This pine tree was nearly killed by lightning, leaving only a broken trunk. I never imagined that after its spiritual energy was restored, it would not only regain its vitality but also give birth to extraordinary mysteries."

Xia Xinghan approached for a closer look, sensing the unique atmosphere of withering and flourishing, life and death intertwined, and couldn't help but exclaim, "What a magnificent, immortal pine tree!"

"A withered tree comes back to life, rising from desolation and being reborn from death."

"This ancient pine tree, having survived countless calamities, has instead benefited from misfortune, absorbing the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, transcending all obstacles. It is truly extraordinary and can be called a spiritual root of heaven and earth!"

"Fellow Daoist has excellent eyesight."

Master Zhang nodded and pointed to the spots at the top of the ancient pine tree where the new greenery was most lush and where the spiritual mist gathered.

"After the ancient pine tree revived, it produced a strange fruit. This fruit contains an exceptionally abundant and pure life essence, with the miraculous effects of reviving the dead and healing flesh and bones. It can also replenish one's vital energy and prolong life."

"After research by relevant national agencies, it was classified as a 'celestial treasure' of the highest grade and named 'Rejuvenating Pine Pagoda'."

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

(Wudang Golden Hall)